B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

30 lives lost in two years, facility of safe drinking water eludes Faridkot jail inmates
Faridkot, November 5
While Punjab claims to have become the first state in north India to have installed reverse osmosis (RO) plants to provide safe drinking water, the poor quality of drinking water is reported to be main reason behind the death of 30 prisoners in Faridkot Central Jail in the last two years.

12 lives snuffed out in separate incidents
Abohar, November 5
At least 12 persons have died during the past 24 hours in different incidents in Abohar sub-division and the neighbouring Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan.

Sewerage proposal gathers dust
Abohar, November 5
Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar today regretted that the proposal to forward the sewerage renovation project to the Central Government was still gathering dust at the local bodies directorate in Chandigarh.

30 lives lost in two years, facility of safe drinking water eludes Faridkot jail inmates
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, November 5
While Punjab claims to have become the first state in north India to have installed reverse osmosis (RO) plants to provide safe drinking water, the poor quality of drinking water is reported to be main reason behind the death of 30 prisoners in Faridkot Central Jail in the last two years.

Though these deaths in the jail, led to protests by the inmates, the jail authorities are still waiting for funds to arrange for the supply of safe drinking water.

As the drinking water supply of this first-ever modern jail of Punjab, which is based on a Spanish model and was constructed at a cost of over Rs 112.44 crore two years back, depends on the Sirhind Feeder canal, the bacterial contamination in the drinking water supply in the jail is also a common occurrence.

Every time the prisoners created a ruckus after the death of an inmate, the health department rushed to the jail to collect samples of drinking water and most of the time, bacterial contamination was found in the water but no measures were taken to improve the quality of water.

"In July-August, the health department collected three samples of drinking water and these were found to be unhygienic and unsafe for human consumption," said Dr Surinder Kumar, District Health Officer (DHO), Faridkot.

Some time back, after a spate of violent incidents in the jail, the state government roped in Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Health Department, Water Supply and Sanitation Department (WSSD) and the jail authorities to improve the health condition of the jail inmates. The WSSD was assigned the task of calculating the cost of installing a reverse osmosis water purifier system in the jail.

“The WSSD submitted the estimates to the jail authorities and the district administration,” said SK Grover, executive engineer, Faridkot. The district administration further sent the proposal to the Principal Secretary, Home, for approval which is still pending.

With the high flow of industrial effluents in the canal, the Sirhind Feeder is known for the high toxicity of its water, but the prisoners are supplied this water, making them prone to ill health, rue the prisoners.

Kulwinder Singh, jail superintendent, said the water is supplied to the prisoners after being treated. "The RO plant will be installed as soon as we get the funds," he said.

Due to the poor quality of drinking water, the RO machines have been installed in almost all government offices in Faridkot. While many employees bring the bottles of drinking water from home, some departments take the supply of RO purified drinking water from their neighbouring departments.

Water worries

• Supply of drinking water to the Faridkot Central Jail depends on the Sirhind Feeder canal. The bacterial contamination in the drinking water supply in the jail is a common occurrence.
• With the high flow of industrial effluents in the canal, the Sirhind Feeder is known for the high toxicity of its water, but the prisoners are supplied this water, making them prone to ill health, rue the inmates.

In July-August, the health department collected three samples of drinking water and these were found to be unhygienic and unsafe for human consumption. — Dr Surinder Kumar,  District Health Officer

12 lives snuffed out in separate incidents
Our Correspondent

Abohar, November 5
At least 12 persons have died during the past 24 hours in different incidents in Abohar sub-division and the neighbouring Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan.

As per the available information, the body of Sandeep Kumar of village Dangarkhera near here was found in Gang (Bikaner) canal near Hindumalkot, 30 km from here. Sadar police said the deceased was pursuing his B.Sc in a local college and was reported missing for the past few days.

MS Salwan of Tamil Nadu succumbed to the injuries that he received after the truck that he was driving overturned near village Sayeedwala on the Abohar-Sriganganagar road. Another driver, identified as Lakshinder Singh of Moga, died as the milk tanker that he was driving overturned on the Sriganganagar-Srikaranpur road. Two minor children who occupied the cabin had a marginal escape.

In another incident, Simranjit Kaur died under mysterious circumstances after consuming some poisonous substance in Purani Abadi locality at Sriganganagar. The police has arrested her husband Paramjit Singh as the victim's father Bharpur Singh reportedly alleged that she was forced to consume poison. In village Kumharanwali of the region, Manju (26) died on way to Sriganganagar. The cause of her death is likely to be ascertained only after the postmortem is conducted.

Pinky Sharma of village Malsisar also died under mysterious circumstances last night. The police has initiated inquest proceedings after the arrival of her father Krishan Chander Sharma.

One Narinder Singh (23), who was undergoing training with an intelligence agency at Jhalawar in Rajasthan reportedly died after consuming insecticides at his native place in Hanumangarh. Another youth Raj Kumar (27) was found dead in village Mahiyanwali while on way to the district hospital in Sriganganagar. His parents had already died, police said.

Three unidentified bodies were found in sub-canals in Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh. The bodies are believed to have floated in from Punjab area, sources said. In village Bhakhranwali, one Maya was allegedly strangled to death by her husband Rajesh Kumar last night. Her parents have reached Bhakhranwali from village Ramsara.

Sewerage proposal gathers dust
Our Correspondent

Abohar, November 5
Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar today regretted that the proposal to forward the sewerage renovation project to the Central Government was still gathering dust at the local bodies directorate in Chandigarh.

Jakhar said this during an interaction with councillors owing allegiance to the Congress.

The project, at a budgeted cost of Rs 66.65 crore, was prepared following the contempt plea filed by some councillors on a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Jakhar said Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had assured of getting the proposal cleared but it was still hanging fire as of now due to red-tape.